Can I Get That Coffee to Go
by Dark Ambition
Summary: He worked at the café, expecting to get paid minimum wage for his hardworking efforts. What he didn't expect was seeing her. AU. —• one sided Hayner/Kairi oneshot written for OHNOESAL3X


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Warnings:** AU, possible OOC, and total crack paring.

**A/N: **Written for OHNOESAL3X because she likes Hayner. And because she was going to shank me if I didn't write this. Though she does not like the concept of anyone with Hayner (because she is his number one stalker) she's just going to have to shut up, deal with it, read it, and love it. She knows I still love her, though!

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Can I Get That Coffee to Go

He was used to it by now. The rich aroma of coffee, the incessant chatter of the customers, the chime of the little bell that dangled from the glass door, every single monotonous thing that he went through day in and day out. After working in a café for who knows how long, it was hardly a surprise that he was used to everything that went on in that café by now. What he wasn't used to was seeing her almost every day, coming in and ordering her usual cup of coffee. Sometimes it varied: Mocha, cappuccino, or a latte. But what didn't change was the time she would come in an order her coffee. She would smile and order, and he would oblige and make her the cup of coffee. And then he would hand it to her, she would pay, and she would leave. He wouldn't see her until the next day at the same time, making her the same cup of coffee.

"Can I get that coffee to go?" she would request, and every time he would inwardly plead for her to stay for at least five minutes to drink the blasted coffee. Instead, every time he would make her the coffee and she would end up leaving anyway.

Hayner applied for a job at the Cloud Nine Café a while back, hoping to make a couple of bucks in the process. Work was never one of his priorities. Someone such as himself much preferred procrastination and free time. However, the day came when he realized he was going to have to leave the house and work for a living. Not much a nineteen-year-old such as himself could do out in Destiny Islands. Nonetheless, he searched vigorously until he stumbled across the tiny little café in downtown, packed in between a couple of larger buildings. Ambling inside, he requested a job from the owner of the café, a young blond man who went by the name of Cloud Strife. Though he came off as unsympathetic on the outside, he gladly gave Hayner a job. And so began his repetitive trial of waking up, going to work, serving coffee, going home, going to bed, and getting up the next day to start all over again. He worked at the café, expecting to get paid minimum wage for his hardworking efforts.

What he didn't expect was seeing her.

It happened like any other day, how heart aching events usually go down. Cloud had stationed Hayner at the cash register for that day. Roxas, another employee at the café, was usually the one who worked the cash register but was now in the back sorting out whatever it was Cloud forced him to sort. Hayner was leaned against the glass counter that displayed numerous pastries, wiping it down to the point where it shined blindingly in his face. While he grinned proudly at his superb cleaning skills, he didn't even notice the chime of the bell from the glass door before him.

She ambled leisurely into the crowded café, glancing around in innocent curiosity. Putting one foot in front of the other, she made a slow beeline for the counter Hayner was currently standing behind. She stopped directly in front of the counter, her cobalt colored eyes studying the menu above Hayner's head intently. Hayner's eyes slowly trailed away from the countertop and swept up her figure until they landed on her face. The first apparent thing was that she was a redhead, her strawberry colored locks barely reaching the top of her bare shoulders. Her red bangs framed her round and ivory toned face. The young woman, Hayner quickly realized when he had finally noticed her presence at the counter, had a slender and voluptuous figure. The young woman, only inches shorter than Hayner, glanced away from the menu and finally looked back at him.

She blinked curiously, as if stunned by Hayner's presence. "Oh. You're not the usual cashier," she said bluntly, her light voice ridden with mildly surprised amusement, as she referred to Roxas.

"I'm Hayner," he introduced as calmly as he could. It took a lot of control, however, to keep his voice from quivering just slightly.

"Did you just get hired?" the auburn-haired young woman inquired with a friendly smile as she tilted her head to one side. When Hayner nodded a yes, she greeted him by saying, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Hayner. I'm Kairi."

Quickly straightening himself up and plastering on a smile he had practiced in front of the mirror for an exact hour, Hayner asked, "What can I get you?"

"Just a mocha for now," she answered, using a sweet tone that Hayner wanted to hear again. As he turned to make her the mocha, Kairi quickly added, "Can I get that coffee to go?"

And that's how it all began.

He wasn't too sure at first, seeing as how it broadsided him without warning. After all, she was just a customer that came in every day at two thirty in the afternoon (not that Hayner was keeping track) to order coffee and then leave. Who even drank coffee in the _afternoon_? He only knew her on a first name basis, and the same could be said for her. The only thing Hayner knew about Kairi was that she was a redhead, her eyes were never one consistent color, she mostly drank mocha, and that she was less than interested in him. So what if she would always ask him how he was doing? So what if she would ask him how his day was going? So what if there was something about her smile he liked? It wasn't like he had developed some high school-like crush on her or anything, because he hadn't.

Then again, maybe he did.

Okay, so he did.

At first he didn't want to convince himself, because he was never for the idea of love at first sight. If anything, that whole excuse was for people who were pathetic and desperate. All she did was come in and order some coffee, and then, bam! He liked her? No, that wasn't how Hayner rolled. But the sad truth was, Kairi was an exception. Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone in fear of losing his masculinity, he would reluctantly admit inwardly that he might have developed a _tiny_ crush on Kairi due to the whole love at first sight curse. His only problem was somehow getting her to realize he had a sort of attraction to her.

He soon found out that it was much more difficult than he had been hoping.

It was never apparent as to why Hayner hated Seifer. Everyone just assumed he hated Seifer just because. After all, no one really _needed_ a reason to hate Seifer at all. But Hayner had a reason. No one just didn't know what it was, was all. While his reason wasn't completely evident, it was there. Oh, he had a reason all right. Hayner personally thought he had a pretty good reason to hate the guy.

Roxas was punching away at the buttons on the cash register, bored out of his mind. Business was running as usual, but even he didn't care if it meant he was stuck working. Hayner was behind the counter as well, fixing a smoothie for another customer. Absentmindedly, he glanced down at the small watch on his wrist. As it turned out, it was very close to two thirty. Cursing under his breath, Hayner swiftly spun on his heels to face the other employee. Roxas jumped back at the dirty blond's sudden action.

"I'll take over the cash register now!" Hayner suggested in a panicked state, his eyes shifting back and forth between Roxas and the door.

Roxas raised an eyebrow, disturbed by Hayner's sudden eagerness. "What? Why?"

"Go!" Hayner hissed as he pointed to the backroom.

Yelping, Roxas rushed out from behind the counter and left Hayner alone. The dirty blond sighed in relief and glanced back at the door. He straightened himself up and practiced his smile momentarily, eagerly awaiting the usual arrival of a certain redhead. Just as he was about to prepare a mocha, a beverage he was certain Kairi was going to order, the bell chimed from the front of the café. Evident on his face was a calm grin, which he flashed at the redhead as soon as she stepped through the door. Hayner's grin immediately fell off his face and hit the floor when he noticed a horrifying sight. Kairi walked into the café, smiling and giggling girlishly, while holding hands with none other than Seifer. _Seifer. _Hayner didn't need to reminisce twice about who the tall blond wearing the black beanie was. He remember the oversized idiot all too well from high school. And he was holding _her_ hand.

"Good afternoon, Hayner!" Kairi chirped politely upon reaching the counter.

Hayner quickly ripped his eyes away from the hand Seifer was using to strangle Kairi's own more petite hand. He flashed the blond a quick glare before reverting back to the smile he was previously wearing. "Hey there, Kairi. How's it going?"

"Hayner?" Seifer repeated, obviously thinking long and hard as to why the name sounded familiar. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"High school," Hayner answered bluntly. The smile he had been using on Kairi was gone once again, replaced once more by his loathsome frown. He didn't even wait for Seifer to process the information as he turned to Kairi and asked, "How do you two know each other?"

The answer was quite obvious, but Hayner wanted to make sure. Inwardly, he was hoping and praying that they weren't dating each other. He knew it was ridiculous, since it was obvious Kairi and Seifer were going out. But, still, it didn't hurt to wish.

"Seifer's my boyfriend," Kairi sighed dreamily as she held up Seifer's hand in the air with her own.

Inside, Hayner's heart tore in two. With as much stubborn willpower as he could muster up, Hayner ignored the emotional pain that washed over him and forced another strained smile for the redhead. He had managed to keep his cool and remained calm on the outside. The same could not be said for how he was reacting on the inside. While it wasn't the first time he had been brutally rejected, it certainly was the hardest one for him. He had convinced himself it was just a small crush, nothing big. And yet just hearing Kairi admit that she was already dating someone completely devastated Hayner. She might as well have gone right up to him and slapped him clear across the face. However, something told him that pain was nothing compared to the one that kept stabbing incessantly at his heart. He ignored the metaphorical feeling of a knife piercing through his heart and, instead, decided it best to just take Kairi's order.

"What can I get you today, Kairi?" Hayner asked, unable to control the saddened tone from taking over his voice.

"A mocha, please!" she giggled for him, only making his heart ache much more so. "Can I get that coffee to go?"

"And you?" he growled while casting Seifer a dark glower.

Seifer waved his hand casually, obviously not impressed with the café he was standing in. "Nothing for me."

Hayner turned his back on the two and quickly prepared an expected mocha for Kairi. Much to his chagrin, the enticing aroma of coffee wasn't enough to cheer him up. The situation didn't get any better when Seifer kept causing Kairi to laugh by saying something that Hayner found moronic. He couldn't wrap his mind around why she was so in love with Seifer, of all people! Nonetheless, the taller blond kept up his antics just so he could get a smile out of his girlfriend. Hayner huffed loudly to himself as he continued making the coffee, his aggravated huff going unnoticed by both Kairi and Seifer. After finishing her cup of coffee, Hayner shoved the mocha into her hand while the pained smile remained on his face. Smiling, Kairi handed him the exact amount of money for her coffee.

"Thank you! Have a nice day!" Hayner recited. The corners of his mouth were starting to hurt from the effort it took to force his smile for the girl.

Kairi's smile grew more charming, almost radiating with light. "You too, Hayner," she said with a tilt of her head.

With a powerful yank, Seifer was dragging her out the door as she giggled something to him. She took a sip from her mocha as the two stepped through the door and out onto the bustling sidewalk. Hayner stared after them from his spot behind the counter, his face slowly growing somber. His once vibrant brown eyes now lacked their usual luster. The very sight of both Kairi and Seifer happily going out with each other sucked all the optimism out of him. Sighing heavily, he propped his elbow up on the countertop and cradled his head in his hand. He had been so downhearted that he didn't even notice Roxas appearing suddenly by his side.

"What's got you all depressed?" Roxas asked, causing his friend and fellow employee to jump with a start.

"Nothing…" Hayner muttered, keeping his saddened eyes glued to the bell hanging from the glass door.

"You know. Something tells me that Kairi girl really likes you," Roxas continued despite his friend's gloomy mood. This was his desperate attempt at cheering Hayner up.

Scoffing, Hayner replied, "I find that hard to believe."

"No, I'm serious," Roxas laughed. The blond was now leaned back against the counter, looking up at the menu overhead with his sapphire orbs. "Seifer probably just bribed her to date her or _something_ like that."

Hayner laughed as he straightened himself up. Roxas cast him a friendly grin, glad to see the dirty blond wasn't as miserable as he thought he was.

"That would make more sense," Hayner snickered, folding his arms behind his head.

He faked the cheered up attitude for Roxas. And while his friend's comment did revive some of his jubilation, he had yet to rid himself of all of his depression. Everyday, now, he would watch Kairi come in to order her cup of coffee. Sometimes she would come in with Seifer holding her hand. Other times she would come in while he had his brawny arm wrapped around her shoulders. For the most part, luckily enough for Hayner, Kairi would come into the Cloud Nine Café to order coffee by herself. She had yet to stay and drink the coffee, and still ordered it to go instead. A month had passed, and nothing seemed to change with Kairi. Her relationship with Seifer certainly hadn't. Hayner desperately tried not to let this get to him. After all, he was supposed to be on the more cheery and optimistic side of life. The things a girl could do to him, though.

Nonetheless, he always gave Kairi a polite smile and a kind word when she came in. Granted, this was extremely difficult for him considering he hated the fact that she was going out with someone other than himself, but he managed to keep his cool for her sake.

Hayner flicked away at flecks of paper that resided on the countertop. Today was a slow day, unlike usual. Only a few souls were seated inside the café, drinking away at whatever it was they ordered. Roxas was in the backroom, most likely sleeping. As for Cloud, God knows where he was. Aside from the few people who were in the café, Hayner was practically alone. He didn't even glance up at the clock to see that it was in fact two thirty in the afternoon. He was only pulled out of his bored and self-induced trance when the little bell chimed throughout the entire café. He looked up excitedly to see Kairi quickly pace her way up to the counter. She gladly returned his grin with a charming smile of her own.

"Good afternoon," Hayner greeted, wiping his hands off with a rag he had used to wipe down the countertop. "What can I get you?"

"A latte, please," Kairi requested. Today she had decided to go for something different rather than her usual mocha. "Can I get that coffee to go?"

"Sure thing," Hayner said politely. He fell momentarily silent when he quickly scanned the café. "Where's Seifer?"

"He's not here yet," Kairi answered with a swish of her red hair. "I'm meeting him today for another date. He should be here any minute!"

Frowning, Hayner turned his back on the young woman to make her coffee. As he began fixing her coffee for her, he asked without glancing back at her from over his shoulder, "Kairi? Why do you like Seifer so much?"

Kairi tapped her finger lightly against her lips for a moment, her eyes rolled up to the ceiling as she lost herself deep in thought. "I'm not too sure, actually," she admitted with a light laugh. "I can't even remember why I started dating him…" She laughed again, as if she found the whole thing humorous. Hayner didn't.

Quietly, without saying a single word to her, he poured the contents of her coffee into a cup. Hayner spun on his heels and forcefully handed the coffee to her. Kairi happily took the coffee and handed him the money she owed him for the beverage. What annoyed Hayner the most was that she was completely oblivious to his sudden change in mood.

"Have a nice day," Hayner murmured, keeping his brown eyes glued to the countertop he leaned against.

"You too," Kairi replied in a polite tone of voice.

Hayner watched intently as she exited the café with her latte in hand. She tucked several strands of her hair behind her ear when the wind caught her off guard. As she was making her way down the sidewalk, Seifer appeared from out of nowhere and approached Kairi from behind. He pleasantly surprised her when he placed his hand on her shoulder to let her know he had arrived. Kairi swiftly spun around to face him and a smile erupted onto her face. Hayner watched as the two hugged, and then grabbed each other's hands. The two started down the sidewalk, Kairi chatting away happily about something Hayner wasn't able to decipher. Lip reading had never been one of his better skills. And just when he thought he couldn't take any more of the atrocious sight, Seifer randomly leaned over and stole a sensual kiss from Kairi.

Hayner recoiled back in alarm, the sickening feeling sinking further and further into his stomach. The two had halted in their tracks in the middle of the sidewalk when Seifer kissed his girlfriend. Kairi wrapped her arms around his neck, obviously approving of what her boyfriend was doing. Hayner continued to watch, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene despite how much he wanted to. After what seemed like an eternity to poor Hayner, Kairi and Seifer finally tore apart. She grinned up at the tall blond, once again talking about whatever she had been previously taking about. Hand in hand, Seifer and Kairi continued down the sidewalk until they turned the curb and disappeared.

Hayner remained completely frozen behind the counter, the only noise he could hear being the faltered beating of his heart drumming loudly in his ears. A painful lump developed in the back of his throat when he had forced himself to watch Kairi and Seifer kiss, the lump making it uncomfortable to swallow. As much as he hated the overrated feeling of doleful heartache, considering how he would have much rather preferred staying optimistic, he couldn't help but feel just a tad bit heartbroken. Sighing heavily, Hayner folded his arms on the countertop and buried his face into his arms as the sudden depressing feeling of angsty woe settled in.

Hayner hated coffee. Hayner hated Seifer. But what Hayner hated the most was one-sided love.

THE END

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_One-sided Hayner/Kairi_

_Dedicated to my good friend OHNOESAL3X_

_Because she would have shanked me otherwise_


End file.
